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Coachella

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The vista: Palm trees and desert mountains. The vibe: So Cal chill, a diverse music lineup, celebrities and sun worshippers en masse. Such is the nature of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival, otherwise known simply as Coachella.

Held over two weekends in Spring on more than 243 hectares of land at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, ‘Chella is a happy beast of a music festival. Past headliners have included AC/DC, Drake, Outkast, Arcade Fire, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr Dre and Jay Z. The variety of experiences one can have here are extensive. Organisers take their food offerings seriously, with pop up restaurants from some of Cali’s best chefs, sit-down four course meals, artisanal food stalls and options for every stomach, inclusive of vegan, raw vegan, gluten intolerant, vegetarian and kosher grub. Shop at the Coachella Boutique, revive smartphones at one of the many charging stations, cruise around the Burning Man-esque large-scale art installations and fizz about in the infamous danceathon that is Sahara Tent.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Drink plenty of water. Too much is not enough at this scorcher of a music festival.

Pay as much attention to the party scene outside of Coachella as the one inside. Nearby Palm Springs resorts and estates host soirees over the two event weekends, from casual pool parties at private mansions, to big-scale events hosted by celebrities and LA scene heavyweights. The best ones are festive and fun without being overt or promotional. Some parties are exclusive, invite-only, others are free and relatively accessible.

Rent a house for the week, and book this well in advance. This allows for space from the festival when needed, and a base from which to check out the tightly packed schedule of satellite events.